SCRIPTURE UNION NIGERIA ENUGU REGION
SCHOOLS AND AID FOR AIDS DEPARTMENT
LIFE SKILLS MODULE (MAXIMUM TIME: 1HOUR)
TOPIC: PREMARITAL SEX & ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS
Focus: There might be several factors that cause students’ poor academic performance,
however, this module tries to associate students’ sexual relationships with poor academic
performance by looking at the impacts premarital sexual relationships have on the student.
Reference Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 4:2-5
Objectives: At the end of this session, participants should be able to
1, define premarital sexual relationships and academic performance
2, Know premarital sexual activities prevailing among students
3, discover the effects of premarital sexual relationships on the academic performance of
students
4, identify possible ways you can avoid premarital sexual relationship –Abstinence Till
Marriage ATM
1. Introduction: There is a link between premarital sexual activities and academic
performance. Students’ involvement in sexual relationships puts them into lots of relational
and social problems, which adversely affect their social as well as academic lives. Discussing
sex and sexuality education with you as students will help you to overcome this challenge.
Main Session
2. Brainstorming
Ask the participants: What is premarital sexual relationship?
Hints: Premarital sexual relationship is an act of engaging in sexual activities before
marriage.
Ask the participants: What is academic performance?
Hints: Academic performance is the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has
achieved their short or long-term educational goals.
3. Group work: Prevailing Premarital Sexual Activities Among Students
Divide them into different groups (at least 5 in a group) and let them List 15 forms of
premarital sexual activities prevailing among students today. 5 minutes
After that bring them together and let them appoint someone to present their findings.
Hints: In spite of the fact that the Bible condemns sex before marriage and outside of
marriage in very strong terms (Deut 22: 20-21, Ephesians 5:3, Colossians 3:5) there have
been cases of sexual activity (abuses) among students which including: Fornication,
Adultery, Bestialise, Homosexual (Gay and Lesbian), Pornography, Masturbation,
Paedophile, Incest, Rape, Dating (even online dating), Cybersex, Sexting, kissing, caressing,
Talking in a sexual way; Sharing sexual fantasies, Phone sex. 5 Minutes
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4. Group work: Factors Influencing Students toward Premarital Sexual Practices.
Let them go back to their groups again and ask them to write 10 Factors that influence the
attitude of the adolescents (students) toward premarital sexual practices. 5 minutes
After that bring them together and let them appoint another person to present this.
Hints: Students have many reasons for engaging in sexual relationships (NONE IS
BIBLICALLY JUSTIFIED). However the causes behind it have been established including:
Peer Pressure: The majority of young people who become involved in premarital sexual
relationships do so because of peer pressure. They look at their peers and give in to
temptation, because ‘everyone does it’. They do it in order to avoid being laughed at and to
receive affirmation from their peers. In the end, premarital sex has become kinds of passports
to acceptance in a particular age group. Young people who do not engage in premarital sex
are perceived by their peers as stupid, unsophisticated and uncivilized (old school).
Power of money: There are men who use their money by any means to get girls; they may
send some older girls/boys to convince you; they tell you ‘accept him... he has money... you
will enjoy it’. These people in most cases target secondary school girls.
Satisfaction of sexual desires/urge: Teenagers sexual desires at this stage are strong and
challenging due to the hormonal changes in their body. So there is a strong force to satisfy the
desire of the flesh.
To keep a relationships: In order for some girls to have upper hand in a boy they feel
strongly about or like, they used the power of sex (often willing to give sexual favours
simply) to keep a guy hooked. What a dangerous clever strategy!
Poverty status /Economic situation: Some students come from poor families; this situation
forces them to find an alternative to earn living. If parents are unable to provide money for
the student, some school girls resorted into looking for boys or men who can support them
financially in exchange for sex.
Luxury: Lust for money and luxurious things like mobile phones, ‘chips’—chopped and
fried potatoes, Suya, Meat pie, Coke, fashionable dresses etc. have been used to deceive
many girls.
Academic favours: Academic incentives in terms of academic favours from teachers or
material things in exchange for sex. Some girls are sexually exploited by their teachers for
academic favour in exchange for sex.
Fashions in clothing: Another factor contributing to the pervasive emphasis on sex amongst
the young people is fashions in clothing. These days it is difficult to find clothes for teenage
girls that are not revealing or tight-fitting –including School uniform. This makes girls more
willing to flaunt their bodies and makes them vulnerable to sexual predators.
Media: Adolescence is a period when the individual is vulnerable. Exposure to sexually
implicit/explicit programs through the medium of newspapers, television, pornographic
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videos, internet, phones, radio and various magazines can influence their sexual behaviour
and make them more permissive towards premarital sex. But all these are intensified by the
media today. Explicit sex videos and DVDs are the most popular sellers on the market. This
is terrible. Young people are often hooked by sexual images that they are exposed to as they
surf the internet. The internet is doing a great deal of damage when it comes to the sexual
lifestyle of young people.
Girls’ attraction to studs: A stud is a man who has a lot of sexual partners and who is very
proud of his sexual ability. Girls in Secondary Schools regards studs as someone very special
and will be attracted to him because they thought that he has something special. This attitude
to the sexual exploitations of boys is very widespread amongst all classes of young people;
however if a girl is seen as being too available then she is universally seen as a “slag”
Experimenting sex before marriage: We need to note that there is a growing trend amongst
African young people these days. They think that it is old-fashioned if they do not experience
sex before marriage. Having this understanding, that it is part and parcel of modernity to
engage in sex before marriage and want to familiarise themselves with matters concerning
sex before they get married. “No one would buy a car without test driving it; so he couldn't
imagine committing to marriage without taking a sex test drive”
Exploitative /Abusive Relationships by boys: This is a situation where boys used girls any
way they wish because girls would like to gain social acceptance. I know as a teenage girl,
you do not joke with friendship/relationship, you would like to be accepted and attracted to
boys at this stage; however, you must guide against exploitation. Boys are not a status symbol
which you must have as a girl to be fully accepted by your friends.
Poor parenting: Single parent families (because of separation/divorce), and families with
parents having conflicting (either with themselves or the children) are more in danger of
having teenagers who are interested in opposite sex friendships.
Poor Relationship: Teenagers who feel incomplete, inadequate and unappreciated are more
likely to seek comfort in a sexual relationship
Society accepts it: To have slept with a girl is regarded as prestigious. It is not just a case of
youthful sexual curiosity either. Society through the media, suggests in thousand ways that
sleeping with your girl is acceptable and even admirable. Any Christian teenager who tries to
abstain from sex is in danger of cruel teasing and accusations of being a prude.
Petting/Kissing: handshakes, kissing, Petting and touching are dangerous precursors of
sexual intercourse. Kissing and playing would soon graduate into a deeper level of intimacy
so beware!
Rising trend of cohabitation among youth: Cohabitation and premarital sex have been
growing trends worldwide. It has become more common and more socially acceptable in
society for opposite sex to live together without being married. These need to be crossed to
save the lives of our youth from the consequences of premarital sex.
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Others are: Curiosity among the youth, Alone with the opposite sex, Strong attachments
Promotion of the use of contraceptive; “Use condom if you cannot hold body” “No sex
unless you’re protected” lack of sex or sexuality education, Etcetera.
5. Group work: Effects of Premarital Sexual Relationships on the Academic
Performances of Students.
Let them get back to their groups again and ask them to write 10 problems associated with
premarital sexual relationships with particular reference to their educational development and
academic performance of students. 5 minutes.
After that bring them back and let them appoint another person to present this.
Hints: Students encounter lots of problems due to being in sexual relationships, either among
the students or with those outside the school. And these have gone a long way to hamper the
educational development and performance of Nigerian youths in general. Some of these
problems are:
a. Reduction in academic drive: It is argued that, when greater energy and interest are
invested in sexual activity, the drive for academic performance is likely to diminish (Rector
& Johnson, 2005) and early initiation of sexual intercourse correlates with poor academic
performance (Schvaneveldt, et al, 2001).
b. Psychological disturbances or depression: It is the fact that, students’ sexual relationship
is inherently short-term and unstable, which means, when it collapses the result is likely to be
emotional turmoil/breakdown and depression (Rector & Johnson, 2005). If students are
psychologically disturbed or depressed; these are likely to have negative consequences on
academic prospects culminating to undermined academic performance or total loss of
education opportunity.
c. Rustications: To suspend or expelled from school. Rustications cause students to miss
classes for some times.
d. School dropout: Dropping out of schools as a result of pregnancy or other sexual
problems have direct impact to students’ academic life.
e. Sexually Transmitted Infections: Students involvement in premarital sexual relationships
exposes them to sexually transmitted infections including HIV, syphilis, Anal Cancer, anal
fissures, anal trauma Gonorrhoea, Herpes, human papiloma virus , etc.
f. Distraction: Engaging in premarital sexual relationships will definitely make you have less
concentration to your academics.
g. Insanity: the state of being seriously mentally ill; madness.
h. Suicide Tendency: Loss of mutual trust and communication is harmful to a relationship.
Fear and guilt in the life of the one who is doing wrong brings about depression and can also
lead to suicide.
i. Addiction: You will get addicted to sex, porn, masturbation & Internet.
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j. Poor academic performance: It is taken that, poor academic performance is an indication
of negative effect of students’ sexual relationship to academic wellbeing. The logic is that,
students who are sexually active may become preoccupied with their sexual activity and have
diminished importance academic goals (Rector & Johnson, 2005).
Further, several problems associated with students’ sexual relationship including: It
lead to unwanted/unexpected pregnancy, It also lead to unwanted/unplanned premature
marriages; the couple is forced to legalise their relationship because of the expected baby or
out of sympathy and not real love, it lead to unwanted Children (Teenage motherhood), it
lead to the loss of virginity, Devilment, Guilt/shame, Emotional disturbance, Regret,
Abortion, Lack of respect, Low self-esteem, Ill health/sterility, Serious moral scars, It
destroys trust after marriage, You don’t stand the chance of saying I am a virgin to others,
Death through abortion or other cases, It is a sin not just against God but also against your
body. (1 Cor. 6:18), It is one way of contracting demons.
Wrath of God: Those who engage in sex outside marriage need to note that what they are
doing is against the will of God (Gn. 39:9) and thereby inviting his wrath into their lives (Heb
12:5–6). It is a terrible thing to play in the hands of God (Heb 12:28–29).
Eternal damnation
6. Recommendation
Ask the participants to identify some possible means of curbing (controlling) this menace
among the teenagers in Secondary Schools in order to improve their academic development
and performance in schools. 5 minutes
Hints: Here are eighteen possible ways you can (abstain) avoid sexual sin that can destroy
you and your future:
1. Believe in Jesus Christ and receive the power to overcome flesh John 1:12
2. Fill your mind with God's Word. Sexual sin starts in the mind, so win the war there first by
studying the Bible. Psalm 119:9-11.
3. Seek for godly counsel any time you find yourself in need of emotional comfort. Proverb 15:22.
4. FLEE from fornication: One of the things you should know is that your flesh is weak when
it comes to sex; and there is no time that it will be stronger than sex. Even God insists that we
flee (1 Corinthians 6 vs. 18). Joseph would not have been able to overcome the temptation to
sleep with Potipher’s wife if he had not fled. He knew that he was weak and the only way to
be strong is to flee.
5. Don't allow yourself to be alone with the opposite sex in a place where temptation is easily
fostered.
6. Seek Wise Companions: Don't ever go out alone with a person you know will tempt you or
easily give in to sexual sin. Interestingly, while social pressures can influence you negatively,
the right kind of friends can influence you in a positive way. It is as the Bible says: “He that
is walking with wise persons will become wise.” Proverbs 13:20; 1 Corinthians 15:33.
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7. Stay away from sexually suggestive books, magazines, photos, or Web sites that will stir
up sexual desires.
8. Build relationships of accountability with your parents and strong Christian friends. When
going through a trying time, let them know and ask for their help.
9. Make up your mind. Never retreat. Let every new friend you meet know you are
committed to sexual purity.
10. Say “NO” and stand by your words. Should your boyfriend ask you to follow him to a
friend place at night try to turn him down and don’t succumb to him. Prov. 1:10
11. Avoid night visit/phone calls
12. Avoid hugging, kissing, touching the opposite sex. This increases the chances of
arousing your sexuality.
13. Dress correctly and decently (1Timothy 2: 9-10).
14. Beware of who you add as friends in social media such as facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter.
15. Avoid living on your own as a young person.
16. Avoid co-habiting (opposite sex living together outside marriage)
17. Note that you do not need a guy to be accepted by your friends
18. Do not use sex to keep a relationship.
CLOSING CHARGE: Many factors may have contributed to you being that way but you
can make a complete change. If you will confess your sins and repent, God is willing to wash
it all away. “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the
righteous -1 John 2: 1. Jesus paid the price for all sins when He died on the cross -1Peter
2:24. Do not allow His sacrifice to be a waste in your life. Repent now and become a born
again virgin. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when
the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." - Acts 3:19. After you have
repented, study your Bible, fast and pray so that God will give you the power to reject
temptation.
Pray for serious deliverance from the evil covenant you have entered through fornication and
other sexual abuses, pray for deliverance from the demon that has been transfer into your
body and you will be delivered in Jesus Christ name. Amen.
Lead them to Christ and get their details and continue with follow up at the next
meeting in Scripture Union School Group.
Compiled by
Schools and Aid for AIDS Department
Scripture Union Nigeria Enugu Region
